Fifth wheel plate for railroad car fifth wheel stands



NOV. 22, 1966 DLI JR" ETAL 3,287,038

FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FOR RAILROAD CAR FIFTH WHEEL STANDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed May 4, 1960 INVENTORS JAMES E. CANDLIN JR. BY WILLIAM VANDER SLUYS 777201021, 6M W2 ATTO RNEYS NOV. 22, 1966 J. CANDUN, JR" ET AL3,287,038

FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FOR RAILROAD CAR FIFTH WHEEL STANDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed May 4; 1960 330 336 58 334 249 25) 1O 1 M M32 PETE 62IIII LII [lung INVENTORS JAMES E. CANDLIN JR. WDLLIAM VAN DER SLUYSATTORNEYS NOV. 22, 1966 J CANDLIN, JR" ET AL 3,287,038

FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FOR RAILROAD CAR FIFTH WHEEL STANDS ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,287,038 FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FOR RAILROAD CAR FIFTH WHEELSTANDS James E. Candlin, Jr., Lansing, and William Van Der Sluys,Homewood, Ill., assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Original application May 4, 1960, Ser. No.26,884, now Patent No. 3,183,854, dated May 18, 1965. Divided and thisapplication Oct. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 317,864 4 Claims. (Cl. 287--20.5)

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 26,884,filed May 4, 1960, now Patent No. 3,183,854, granted May 18, 1965.

This invention relates to a fifth wheel plate for railroad car fifthwheel stands, and more particularly, to a fifth wheel plate device foruse in the piggyback system of freight handling, for the purpose oflatching the trailer to the car.

As is well known in the art, the piggyback system of freight handlingcontemplates the transportation of freight in trailers which are carriedon a railroad flatcar a major portion of the distance between shippingpoints and destinations. The trailers may be positioned on the car byany one of a number of standard methods involving either the use of thetrailer tractor or other prime mover, or a crane for bodily lifting thetrailer onto the car.

Trailers are customarily secured to the car by what is known as a fifthwheel stand, which uniformly includes a latching device for grasping thekingpin of the trailer, with the stands being supplemented in mostinstances by suitable tie down devices associated with the trailerchassis.

One of the foremost difficulties in this art is the very practicalproblem of having to spot the trailer with respect to the fifth wheelstand so that the kingpin latch device of the stand may be actuated toserve its intended function. Trailers customarily include a load thatmay be on the order of 60,000 pounds, which makes it very diflicult toshift the trailer after it has been positioned on the car and leftstanding on its landing gear. This means that the trailer must either bevery carefully spotted or that the fifth wheel stand must be arranged topermit a reasonable tolerance in the trailer positioning.

Most conventional forms of fifth wheel stands involve a support orstructure for the kingpin latching device which is operable to move thelatching device from an inoperative retracted or lowered position on thefloor of the car to an operative elevated position in which the latchdevice engages the trailer kingpin, and of course, trailers must bespotted on the car so that the trailer kingpin is within the operativerange of the latch device. Heretofore, improvements in this art havebeen directed toward increasing the spotting tolerance permitted by thestand and relying on the stand, at least to some extent, to effect suchlateral and longitudinally contrary of the kingpin as may be required.

Furthermore, the usual approach to the problem has been that the fifthwheel stand should have a fixed path of movement between its inoperativeand operative positions, leaving it to those who load the trailer on thecar to do so accurately enough that the kingpin and the trailer will beproperly engaged and centered, if need be, by elevating the fifth wheelstand. Moreover, the operative elevated position of conventional standscustomarily is at a fixed distance above the car deck, which does nottake into consideration that trailer heights vary considerably; whicesome stands permit some variation in trailer height, the spottingtolerance of the stand is adversely affected.

We have determined that as a matter of practice, the actual spottingtolerance employed can be relatively small as tractor operators have nogreat difiiculty in spotting trailers within an inch or two of anydesired location.

Therefore, incontrast to previous approaches, our invention involvesarranging the stand so that it may be adjusted as required to obtain thedesired seating action with respect to the trailer kingpin withouthaving to bodily move the trailer.

Consequently, a principal object of this invention is to provide a fifthwheel stand for railroad cars that not only permits adjustment of theposition of the kingpin latching device to accommodate a reasonabletrailer spotting tolerance, but also provides optional fifth wheelheight and contemplates that spotting tolerance will be independent ofthe height of the trailer.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved fifth wheelplate arrangement that is inexpensive of manufacture, convenient in useeven by inexperienced personnel, and adapted for use in connection withall standard railroad car and trailer equipment customarily employed inpiggyback service.

Other objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparentfrom a consideration of the following detailed description and theapplication drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating one embodimentof the fifth wheel stand of our Patent No. 3,183,854 as it would beapplied to a conventional railroad flatcar, illustrating the same in itsoperative position in which it is adapted for connection to the kingpinof a conventional trailer that is to be mounted for transit on therailroad car;

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating the fifth wheel standin its lowered inoperative position when it is latched against the floorof the car;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental diagrammatic perspective view of a latch devicethat is employed to hold the fifth wheel stand of FIGURES l and 2 in itslowered inoperative position;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the vertical strut arrangementemployed in the stand of FIGURES 1-3, showing same'applied to the fifthwheel plate structure, parts being broken away to facilitateillustration;

. FIGURE 5 is a fragmental perspective view showing the jack actuatinggear box of FIGURE 4 as adapted to receive a conventional power operatedwrench, together with a latching arrangement thereof for holding thevertical struts against retraction during rail transit;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmental sectional view approximately along line 6-6of-FIGURE 4, parts being shown in elevation;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic fragmental sectional FIGURE 10 is anelevational view along line 10 -101 of FIGURE 6.

General description Reference numeral 10 of FIGURES 1 and 2 generallyindicates one embodiment of our invention secured to the supportingsurface or bed 12 of a standard railroad flatcar 14 (which may take anysuitable form, and which is illustrated only diagrammatically), thestand 10 being applied to what may be termed the front end 15 of thecar. As is well known in the art, the purpose of fifth wheel stands,such as stand 10, is to secure the front end of trailer to the car byconnection to the trailer kingpin, and for purposes of this descriptionthe car end shown may be considered the front end, though it is obviousthat the stand of this invention may be applied to any point on the cardesired.

a verticalsupporting strut structure 34 and a diagonal.

prop strut structure 36, and cushioning devices 38 (shown in blockdiagram form in FIGURES 1 and 2) that are coupled to the lower end ofthe diagonal strut structure 36.

The vertical strut structure 34 comprises a pair of spaced verticalstruts 40 pivoted by pins 42 to the bed of car 12 and composed oftelescoping members 44 and 46, which in accordance with the presentinvention are moved between extended and retracted positions by jackdevices 48, indicated generally in FIGURE 4, that are operated throughsuitable gearing 49 selectively providing relatively high and relativelylow gear ratios for high and lowspeed lifting and lowering of fifthwheel plate structure. The vertical struts are pivotally secured to thefifth wheel plate structure by trunnion forming pins or stub shafts 50.v

The diagonal strut structure 36 consists of a telescopa ing diagonalstrut 52 composed of telescoping members 54 and 56; member 56 is pivotedto fifth wheel plate structure 30 by appropriate trunnion forming pins58 while member 54 is pivoted to a slider member 60, by appropriate pins62, which latter member 60 is mounted in trackway 64 for movement towardand away from the vertical struts 40. Slider member 60 is keyed to therespective cushioning devices 38, the detailsof which are fullydisclosed in our said Patent No. 3,183,854.

As is further indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2, tension spring devices 86are connected between pins 88 that are aflixed to the vertical struts 40eccentrically of pins 42,.

and abutment plates 90 afiixed to the bedof the car.

In accordance with the invention of our said patent, the a springdevices 86 are arranged so that they will pull the fifth wheel standfrom its lowermost horizontal inoperative position to a partially raisedinclined position from which it may be manually brought to asubstantially vertical position by the exercise of minimum effort. Thefifth wheel stand is held in its lowered position by the latcharrangement generally indicated at 92 in FIGURES 2 and 3.

The fifth wheel plate structure 39 is provided with a kingpin latchingdevice 94 (see FIGURES 6-10) including jaws 96 mounted under the kingpinreceiving opening 104 ofthe fifth wheel plate structures for movementtoward and away from each other by ratchet assembly 98 (see FIGURES6-9). Jaws 96 are formed as at 100 (see FIGURE 10) to define thekingpinseat of the stand. I

The specification of our said Patent No.- 3,183,854 may be referred tofor a complete description of said stand (all reference numerals used inthe drawings of said patent being retained in the drawings of theinstant application for easy reference to corresponding structures).

Specific description of fifth wheel plate ture are applied betweenflanges 334 and 336 in any suitable manner.

Referring to FIGURES 6-10, the plate member 330 of the fifth wheel platestructure is formed to define intermediate of the forward and rearwardends thereof the kingpin opening 104, which in accordance with thisin-'' vention is a closed perimeter opening extending laterally of platemember 330 so that the fifth wheel plate structure resists thrusts ineither direction with equal facility. Opening 104 is elongate inconfiguration (compare FIG- URES 6 and 7) and extends laterally of platemember 330 and transversely of the car 14; fixed underneath opening 104are guide elements 342 carrying track members 344 extending laterally ofthe plate member 330 on which the kingpin latch device jaws 96 areslidably mounted for movement laterally of the plate member andtransversely of the car 14. Jaws 96 are each provided with pierced lugs346 and 347 through which extends shaft 348, the ends 350 and 352 ofwhich are.

formed with right and left hand threads, respectively, on which arethreaded nuts 354 that are received between the. respective lugs 346 and347. Appropriate,

springs 356 bias the nuts against shaft 348 sufiiciently to insure theirmovement only on operation of ratchet as sembly 98.

Operatively associatedwith shaft 348 in a conventional manner is ratchetdevice 358 of any conventional type, which together with shaft 348 formsratchetassembly 98. The jaws 96 each have secured thereto guide pins 360which ride in perforations 362 of plates 334 and 336 t to guide themovement of the respective kingpin latching jaws.

, The fifthwheel plate structure may be reinforced by- Associated withthe rearward stiffener 368 is alock device 370 for holding ratchetassembly 98 in the inoperative broken line position of FIGURE 6. Device370 comprises a depending plate 372 afiixed .to the end of the 7indicated stiffener 368 and plate 372 has pivotally secured thereto asby bolts 373 a hooked shaped latching angle member 366 inthe plane ofmovement of ratchet device 358 and is provided with a cam surface 377adapted,

to engage theratchet pawl 379 and pivot thelatter into engagementwith'the teeth 381 of the conventional ratchet wheel 383 that forms apart of ratchet device 358. The arrangement is such that ratchet pawl379 when engaged bylug 117 holds shaft 348 against rotation in thedirection.

that would open jaws 96.

When the ratchet 'assembly 98 is actuated, after the fifth wheel standhas been placed in the position of'FIG- URE 8 of our said patent, thejaws 96 are drawn together about the kingpin and the seat portions(formed to complement the shape of standard kingpins) thereofeffectively lock the kingpin within the fifth wheel plate structure.It.wi1l be noted that jaws 96each include a projection 385 that arereceived within king slot 387 (see FIGURE 13a of our said patent) whenthe jaws are in locking engagement with the kingpin.

In the form illustrated, forward and rearward spacers or abutmentmembers 380 are affixed to the undersurface of plate member 330 adjacentthe .middle portion of opening 104 on either side of the opening which.limit the permissible movement of the jaws towards each other, as seatportions 100 are struck on radii complementary to the correspondingradii of the standard kingpin. These spacers are indicated in FIGURES6-8 and their principal purposes are to take the thrusts applied to thefifth wheel plate structures through the kingpin (or vice versa) and toguide the king pin in its movement out ofking'pin opening 104. Thespacers 380 thus prevent the kingpin groove portion from catching on theplate 330 when the a stand is to be released from the trailer (note thekingpin centering action of these elements indicated in FIGURES 6 and8). Spacers 380 are preferably hardened to avoid broaching, when thekingpin leaves kingpin opening 104,

in the event the stand is lowered from the trailer without removingdiagonal strut pin 112.

The truss point 340 described in connection with FIG- URE 13a of oursaid patent is applied to FIGURE 9 to indicate its desired positioningwith regard to jaws 96.

Distinguishing characteristics of the invention It will therefore beseen that we have provided a fifth wheel stand for railroad cars havinga number of important characteristics.

As the fifth wheel plate structure of the stand is formed with a closedperimeter kingpin opening, it is necessarily closed on all sides andthus capable of withstanding thrust pressures applied against it ineither direction when longitudinal impacts are occasioned. This is to becontrasted with conventional fifth wheel stands, which ordinarily haveone end bifurcated to permit the stand kingpin latching device to bebrought into engagement with the kingpin by being moved longitudinallyof the trailer body as the kingpin latch device is elevated intoengagement with the trailer.

The pivotal connections of the vertical and diagonal struts with thefifth wheel plate structure insure that the forces applied to thekingpin will be largely in shear and without the tensioning effect socharacteristic ofconventional stands. The problem of undue tensionstresses being applied to the kingpin is eliminated by practicing thisaspect of our invention.

As the ends of the diagonal strut are secured to the fifth wheel platestructure and the car bed, respectively, there is no need for lifting ofheavy prop members to secure the vertical strut in its desired uprightposition; this may be done by merely applying a pin to appropriatelyalign holes in the telescoping diagonal strut members.

The fifth wheel stand impact cushioning arrangements disclosed in thisapplication form the subject matter of our divisional application SerialNo. 506,451, filed November 3, 1965.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate our invention and the invention is not to be limitedthereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, sincethose skilled in the art who have our disclosure before them will beable to make modifications and variations therein without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A fifth wheel plate structure for a railroad car fifth wheel standcomprising a plate member defining forward and rearward ends with saidplate member being formed with an elongate closed perimeter openingadjacent its median portion, said opening extending laterally of saidplate member, a pair of jaws mounted in said opening for movement towardand away from each other and laterally of said plate member, said jawsbeing formed with diametrically opposed kingpin seat portions, means formoving said jaws toward and away from each other, and spaced abutmentmembers carried by said plate structure and disposed between said jawsin opposed relation at the forward and rearward sides of said opening,said abutment members being spaced from each other a distance to receivebetween them a trailer kingpin and defining opposed wear surfacesagainst which the kingpin is adapted to bear when a trailer kingpin isreceived in said opening and said jaws have been applied to the kingpin.

2. The plate structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said means formoving said jaws comprises ratchet means, and including means forselectively rendering said ratchet means inoperable when said jaws havebeen applied to a trailer kingpin.

3. The plate structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said means formoving said jaws comprises ratchet means comprising an elongate handlemember secured to said plate member in depending relation beneath sameand a ratchet mechanism means operatively secured between said handlemember and said jaws for actuating said jaws,

and lock means for securing said handle member in an inoperativesubstantially horizontally disposed position.

4. The plate structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said lock meanscomprises a depending member pivotally secured to said plate member inthe plane of movement of said handle member and spaced from said ratchetmechanism means, said depending member having a hooked shaped lower endand being mounted for pivotal movement to one side of said handle memberplane of movement, said hooked shaped lower end being proportioned toreceive and hold said handle member against movement from asubstantially horizontal position, and means for releasably securingsaid depending member against said pivotal movement when said handlemember is received in said hooked shaped lower end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,237 1/ 1909Miller 2696l 2,815,224 12/ 1957 Waters 280433 2,862,265 9/1958 Van Dinen27966 2,903,267 9/ 1959 Nelson 279-66 2,936,983 5/1960 Markenstein etal. 280-433 2,977,137 3/1961 Durham 280--4-34 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, PrimaryExaminer.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Examiner.

I. B. TALTON, R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,287,038 November 22, 1966 James E. Candlin, Jr., et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 2, line 44, for "thereof" read therefor column 6, line 43, for"910,237" read 910,937 line 45, for "2,862,265" read 2,852,265

Signed and sealed this 12th day of September 1967.

(S Arum:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer 1 Commissioner ofPatents

1. A FIFTH WHEEL PLATE STRUCTURE FOR A RAILROAD CAR FIFTH WHEEL STANDCOMPRISING A PLATE MEMBER DEFINING FORWARD AND REARWARD ENDS WITH SAIDPLATE MEMBER BEING FORMED WITH AN ELONGATE CLOSED PERIMETER OPENINGADJACENT ITS MEDIAN PORTION, SAID OPENING EXTENDING LATERALLY OF SAIDPLATE MEMBER, A PAIR OF JAWS MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING FOR MOVEMENT TOWARDAND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND LATERALLY OF SAID PLATE MEMBER, SAID JAWSBEING FORMED WITH DIAMETERICALLY OPPOSED KINGPIN SEAT PORTIONS, MEANSFOR MOVING SAID JAWS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, AND SPACEDABUTMENT MEMBER CARRIER BY SAID PLATE STRUCTURE AND DISPOSED BETWEENSAID JAWS IN OPPOSED RELATION AT THE FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDES OF SAIDOPENING, SAID ABUTMENT MEMBERS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER A DISTANCETO RECEIVE BETWEEN THEM A TRAILER KINGPIN AND DEFINING OPPOSED WARSURFACES AGAINST WHICH THE KINGPIN IS ADAPTED TO BEAR WHEN A TRAILERKINGPIN IS RECEIVED IN SAID OPENING AND SAID JAWS HAVE BEEN APPLIED TOTHE KINGPIN.